A little hope.

Seven of my family members have received the first dose of vaccines against the life threatening and omnipresent Covid-19. My mum had hers on May 11. I didn’t know which vaccine she would be given. So naturally, I did the only thing I could do. I prayed for divine intervention and the Pfizer vaccine. Currently, there is no choice in the vaccines administered in Malaysia. Based on reports, Pfizer boasts the highest efficacy. Hence, it was the name I put forth to all the gods.

With my mum, the worry points are just about everything. The old girl has angina – chest pain caused when the heart muscles don’t receive enough oxygen rich blood – and asthma – a chronic lung disease with symptoms like chest tightness and breathlessness. Heart and lung. Both breathing/respiratory related. Her medical history also includes osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. And, the big kicker – old age. Hmm…

The first upside, she got the Pfizer vaccine. Yay. There were two immediate side effects. Difficulty sleeping. An almost non-existent problem for my mum.  Staying awake is. Slight fever. They both went away quickly enough. She has been experiencing some breathing problems but I don’t think they are vaccine-related.

The second upside was the organisation and orderliness of the vaccine program. The people in charge, and there were many, were well-trained. They knew their roles and responsibilities. At each station, they gave clear instructions and assistance. And, they were generally kind and patient. Particularly, as they were dealing with the over 80’s. Most of the elderly were frail, and accompanied by their children and/or carer.  Wheelchairs were at the ready for those who needed them. All in all, I walked away with my mum feeling rather impressed. I hope the same standard prevails when we return in June for my mum’s second dose.

On May 15, my husband and I, and brother number 2 had our first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. We were successful applicants for the first opt-in or voluntary scheme that the Government introduced for its 268, 600 available AstraZeneca vaccine slots. The opt-in scheme was put in place after negative views and feedback were expressed by some people regarding the safety of the vaccine.

Admittedly, I too have/had reservations. Apart from the possible side-effects, and the rare but sometimes fatal blood clots, I just don’t like injections. It’s not so much the pain of the needle prick. It’s the pain in the general area of the injection that doesn’t go away for days. It hurts to the touch. I can’t lift my arm over my head. I know the simple solution is not to lift it over my head. The point is it shouldn’t hurt for so long but it does.

Next, the side effects. Headache worried me. Not so much fever, chills and aches and pain. I already suffer from migraine. I didn’t want a headache variant. The other was blood clots. My former GP told me that I could be one of those people whom we hear or read about, who seems/appears fit and healthy, and then suddenly drops dead. I kid you not. I remember him breaking the news to me on the telephone, one evening, rather casually and matter-of-factly, after he had received my blood test results. Since then, I have had several blood tests. One hematologist assured me that I should be fine despite the recurring problems with clumping platelets and cold agglutinins. The memory of that phone call niggled.

That said, I am glad I had the vaccine, arm ache or not, blood clots or not, as the benefits far outweigh the risks. According to Reuters, data by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) showed the Pfizer vaccine, jointly developed by BioNTech, was 89.7% effective in preventing infection at least two weeks after a first dose was given, while the AstraZeneca shot was 86.0% effective[1].

Also, just like the Manjalara Town Community Hall where my mum had her vaccine, the very much bigger World Trade Centre KL (WTCKL), where my husband and I had ours, was equally well-oiled. This was despite WTCKL ramping up its vaccination numbers to 8,100 (on the day of our appointments), from 2,400 before[2]. While there was a back-log and some confusion at first, an efficient system was in place that ensured we received our vaccines orderly and safely.  Side effects. Malaise would best describe how we felt. Mostly gone in a day or two.  

Last weekend, brother number 1, sister-in-law and niece had their AstraZeneca vaccinations. I do feel somewhat hopeful and comforted knowing that we are a little safer. One dose. One layer of protection. Still, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) must continue to be followed. With the Covid-19 numbers rising every day, no one is really safe until everyone is vaccinated against this deadly virus and its variants.